OT: paging MAC expert(s) --- What's a Performa?

From: John Ruschmeyer <jruschme_at_Mac.com>
Date: Sun Nov 18 17:22:41 2001

> Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2001 11:13:51 -0700
> From: "Richard Erlacher" <edick_at_idcomm.com>
> Subject: Re: OT: paging MAC expert(s) --- What's a Performa?
>
> Right now, I'm pretty concerned about how to crack open the box without
> breaking
> it, so I can inspect the hard disk to see what it is, physically. Does
> anybody
> have a recipe for doing that?

I think I saw someone offer you the service manual. If not, contact me
off-line for a copy (pdf).

In short, on the underside of the front bezel are two tabs. You need to use
a large flat screwdriver, in a twistint motion, to release them. At that
point, the whole front should come off.

The hard drive is behind a shield under the floppy drive. IIRC, you need to
remove one screw to remove the shield. The drive is on a sled with a release
tab.

> Moreover, I imagine I'll use one of the considerably larger IDE types I've set
> aside from PC use to replace the drives now in the machines. It's safe to
> assume, however, that NOT any IDE drive will work, since Apple Computers, Inc.
> didn't like folks buying hardware at a resonable price from someone else
> rather
> than allowing Apple to gouge them. (part of the MAC culture, I guess)

True for SCSI drives. Oddly enough, Apple's Drive Setup will deal with
pretty much any IDE drive.
  I
> note,
> also, that the CDROM is SCSI. That being the case, I'd like to see whether
> there's room for a SCSI HDD in the box. There certainly is room in the system
> (logically). That would work even better, since I have lots of extra SCSI
> drives.

The problem is, that in the 630 series, the only internal connectors to the
SCSI chain are in the CD-ROM bay. Better to stay with IDE drives internally
(nothing to stop you from an external SCSI drive).

> Have any of you MAC gurus got experience with replacing MAC IDE
> drives?

You're limited to PIO mode 3 (max). Also, Western Digital drives over about
1.2GB don't seem to work correctly. Mine has a 3GB Seagate drive, though it
came to me with a 600mb WD drive and I briefly installed a 500mb Quantum.

The big thing you need is a copy of Drive Setup.

> It looks as though the drives in the boxes are 250 MB or so, which might be
> adequate for some things, but I doubt it would be adequate for internet
> activity.

Hmm... I think that's a matter of perspective. MacOS and a browser will fit
well enough. Just not a lot of room left for downloads, etc.

<<<John>>>
Received on Sun Nov 18 2001 - 17:22:41 GMT